Clutch mechanism.



Patented Aug. 7, I900.

' F. G. HOBART.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

(Application filed Oct. 13, 1898.)

(No Model.)

I may hereinafter appear, I attain by means of UNITED STATES TENT MI E.

FRANK G. HOBART, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE FAIIt -IANKS, MORSE 1% COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLUTCH M EG-H'ANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,440, dated August 7, 1900. 7 Application filed October 13, 1898; Serial No. 693,434. (No model-l 5 certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to that class of devices which are designed to be used in connecting and disconnecting a'mov- ,ing or driving part with an idler part or piece to be driven and is of the class commonly known as friction-clutches.

My invention has for its object, primarily,

tidned which will be compact and economical in construction, reliable and eflicient in its operation, and arranged to be readily thrown into and out of operation by hand.

More specifically, my invention has for one object the provision of a friction-clutchcom prising a driving-shaft, a loose gear or pulley. mounted thereon, a slidingv friction-sleevev mounted upon the shaft in position to' be thrown into and out, of engagement with the loose gear, a system of bell-crank levers pivotally attached at their angles tothe sleeve, a collar or block adjustably fixed relatively as to the shaft and forming a fulcrum for one arm of each .of the levers, and means -(preferablya hand-wheel or nut working on a threaded extension of the driving-shaft) connected to the other arm of each of the lovers for moving the sliding friction-sleeve.

A furtherobject of my invention is to provide a novel arrangement of parts in combination with improved devices whereby great accuracy and securityofedjustment are socured and whereby compensation may be had for wearof the friction-surfaces.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a friction-clutch having a hand operating device which will be not only easy to manipulate, but also safe to the operator.

The above, as well as such other objects as a construction which I haveillustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing my improved clutch mechanism:

the construction of a device of the type men-- and Fig. 2 is a view showing a detail 01: the meaus'employed in securing certain of the parts together.

In the practice of my invention Iarrange at the end of a-driviug-shaft 1 a driven or,

loose pulley 2, rotatably mounted upon the driving-shaft, carrying a gear or other suitable transmitting device 3 and provided with a conical friction portion 4. WVithin the conical part 4. I arrange a friction part or sleeve 5, designed to rotate with the shaft 1, buttion by means of a locking-nut 9, secured upon the smaller of the threads 10, the part 8 and the threaded extension or spindle being in this manner caused to rotate with the driving-shaft 1., Upon the outer end of the spindle 7 is a hand-wheeler nut 11, provided I with a screw-threaded opening upon its inner side designed to engage the thread 10. In order to secure the proper longitudinal movement of the friction-sleeve 5, I connect the sleeve 5 with the hand-wheel 11 by a system of levers 12, these levers being provided with bell-crank extensions 13, which are fulcrumed in a circumferential groove 14;, formed in the periphery of the block 8, the levers being' pivotally attached attheir angles to the sleeve. As a protection to the hand'of the operator I arrange between the wheel 11 and the levers 12 a guard-flange 15'. The outer ends of the levers are connected to a collar, which in turn is rotatably mounted around the inner end of the hand-wheel 11, the two being secured against endw'ise movement relative to each other by any snitablemeans, the means shown being a split or divided washer which engages a peripheral'groove in the cylindrical portion of the body of the hand-wheel. The angles '0f the levers are pivotally attachedto-the sleeve -5 in the manner shownin Fig. 1.

The operation :of my device is as follows: The driying-shaft- 1 when in rotation carries of engagement with with it not only the friction-sleeve 5, but also the connected system of levers and the handwheel 11, the parts being substantially inthe position shown in the drawings. To throw the clutch into operation, it is onlynecessary to take hold of the wheel 11 and grasp it so as to prevent its rotation with the spindle '7 it will immediately ance afterward thrown into gear by meansof some clutch device. \Vhen the engine has been stopped, the clutch can be loosened by unscrewing the hand-wheel 11, so as to draw the friction-sleeve 5 out of engagement with the part 4. 4

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy 1. A friction-clutch comprising a drivingshaft; aloosezgear or pulley mounted thereon;

a sliding friction-sleeve mounted upon shaft in position to the be throwninto and out the loose gear; a system of bell-crank levers pivotally attached at their angles to the sleeve; a collar or block fixed relatively as to movementbetween the shaft and sleeve, said block forming a fulcrum for one arm of each of the levers, and means for operating the levers to move'the sleeve.

for operating the levers tomove shaft;

' their angles to the sleeve;

. fixed relatively as shaft and sleeve, said 2. A friction-clutch comprisinga drivingshaft; aloose gear or pulley mounted thereon a slidingfriction-sleeve mounted upon the shaft in position to be thrown into and out of engagement with the loose gear; .a system acollar or block fixed relatively as to movement between the shaft and sleeve, said block forming a fulcrum for one armrof each of the levers, means the sleeve, and means whereby the position of said-fulcrum-block may be adjusted.

3. -A friction-clutch comprising a drivingaloose gear or pulley mounted thereon; a sliding friction-sleeve mounted upon the shaft in position to be thrown into and out of engagement with the loose gear; a system of hell -crank levers pivotally attached at .acdllar or block to movement between the block forming a fulcrum for one arm of each of the levers, and

' hand-operated mechanism connected to the other arm of each of said levers vfor moving the sleeve;

4. A friction-clutch comprising a drivingshaf-t; aloose gear or pulley mounted thereon; a sliding"friction-sleeve mounted upon the said fulcrum-block;

,said fulcrum-block, levers and sleeve a sliding .rotate it; a collar or shaft in position to be thrown into and out ,of. engagement with the loose gear; a system of bellcrank levers pivotally attached at their angles to the sleeve; a collar or block fixed relatively as to movement between the shaft and sleeve, said block forming a fulcrum for one arm of each of the levers, and means for operating the levers to move the sleeve, said means comprising a threaded extension of said shaft, a hand-wheel or nut working thereon, the bell-crank levers and said hand-wheel.

5. A friction-clutch comprising a drivingshaft; a loose. gear or pulley nmunted thereon; a sliding friction-sleeve mounted upon the shaft in position to be thrown into and and connections between out of engagement with the loose gear; asystem of bell-crank levers pivotally attached at their angles to the sleeve; a collar or block fixed relatively as to movement between the shaft and sleeve, said block forming a fulcrum for one arm of each of the levers; a threaded extension on said shaft; a locknut upon said threaded extension for holding a hand-wheel working on the same threaded extension; and connectious between the bell-crank levers and said hand-wheel, whereby longitudinal movement of the hand-wheel is transmitted to the sleeve.

6. A friction-clutch comprising a drivingshaft; a loose gear or pulley mounted thereon; a sliding friction-sleeve mounted upon the shaft in position to be thrown into and out of engagement with the loose gear; a system of bell-crank levers pivotally attached at their angles to the sleeve; a collar orblock fixed relatively as to movement between the shaft and sleeve,said block forming a fulcrum forone arm ofeachof the le\-'ers,hand-op,erated mechanism connected to the other arm ofeach of said levers for moving the sleeve, and a guard flange between the levers and said hand-operated mechanism. of bell-crank levers pivotally attached at 3 their angles to the sleeve;

7. A friction-clutchcomprising adrivingshaft; a loose gear or pulley mounted there-" on; a sliding friction-sleeve mounted upon the shaft in position to be thrown into and out ofengagement with the loose gear; a system of bell-crank levers pivotally attached at their angles to the sleeve; a collar or block fixed on said shaft and provided with a peripheral channel forming a fulcrum for one arm of each of the levers; and. means for-operating the levers to move the sleeve; all mounted to rotate with the driving-shaft.

8. In a friction-clutch, in combination, a shaft; awheel normally loose upon the shaft; friction-sleeve rotating with the shaft andadapted toengage the wheel to I block having threaded engagement with theshaf t and provided with a peripheral channel; a system of bell-crank levers fulcrumed-in said channel and engaging the sleeve to slide it; and means for actuating the levers.

9. A friction-clutch comprising a drivinga shaft; a loose gear or pulley mounted thereon; a sliding friction-sleeve mounted upon 0 the shaft in position to be thrown into and out of engagement with the loose gear; asystem of bell-crank levers pivotally attached at their angles'to the sleeve; a collar or block having threaded engagement with said shaft and forming a fulcrum for one arm of each of the,

levers; means for operating the levers'to move the sleeve; said fulcrum-block, levers :0 and sleeve all mounted to rotate with'the driving-shaft; and means for moving said levers. 

